INSIDE: GET THE RIGHT RESULTS WITH OUR CLASSIFIEDS SECTION Yo u r World — Yo u r News BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2017 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn, Williamsburg & Greenpoint AWP/10 pages • Vol. 40, No. 17 • April 28–May 4, 2017 • FREE BOUNCE IN OUR STEP Beleaguered Squibb Park Bridge reopens after 32-month closure By Lauren Gill Brooklyn Paper You can cross this bridge when you get to it. The zigzagging overpass from Brook- lyn Heights to Brooklyn Bridge Park reopened after 32 months on April 19 ODA/RAL Development Services / Oliver’s Realty Group — and one eager local went out of his The towers Brooklyn Bridge Park honchos plan to erect at Pier 6. way to test the goods during his 7:30 am jog, reporting back that it had been ev- erything he’d dreamed of for the nearly three years it had been shuttered . “It was liberating in one sense that I Chance to pier in could run down into the park that way,” said Brooklyn Heights resident Bren- nan Rees, who is planning to use the More groups allowed to work on Squibb Park Bridge every other day. “It’s going to be a game changer, it’s Bridge Park towers negotiations so pleasant.” Many residents have been awaiting By Lauren Gill most closely from the beginning of the reopening of the once dangerously Brooklyn Paper the case,” read an e-mail sent out to bouncy $4.1 million crossing since it was Lawyers for the Brooklyn Bridge the influential civic group’s mem- abruptly closed in August 2014, just 17 Park have agreed to allow the Brook- bers on April 21. months after it opened. Officials ruled lyn Heights Association to discuss The Heights Association did not that the swaying bridge had become un- confidential talks about plans for Pier return calls, and the Park declined stable and fenced it off, offering little ex- 6 with two activists not involved in to comment. planation of what had befallen it. a lawsuit to stop the construction of But sources close to the negotia- The span juts through the Squibb two controversial apartment towers tions, who asked for anonymity be- Park playground at Columbia Heights planned for the park, The Brooklyn cause they weren’t authorized to speak to the waterfront green space, giving Paper has learned. about the proceedings, told The Paper pedestrians a popular shortcut to the The move, demanded by the Heights the new agreement allows the Associ- meadow. Additionally, it provides peo- Photo by Jordan Rathkopf Association, slightly opens a confi- ation to reveal its discussions within ple staying at the newly opened One Ho- The Squibb Bridge, a scenic connector between Brooklyn Heights and Brooklyn Bridge Park, has reopened. dentiality agreement that limited the Billings’s chambers with a represen- tel and Pierhouse condo complex next to it a quick route to the iconic Brook- talks to the litigants. Two weeks ago, tative from the anti-tower watchdogs park honchos estimated the original re- of two towers at Pier 6 . time it took is just insanely ridiculous, I Justice Lucy Billings ordered the two the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense lyn Heights Promenade. Greensward stewards the Brooklyn pairs would cost $700,000 but the final The latest incarnation of the bridge think somebody’s feet needs to be held sides to come up with a compromise, Fund and the People for Green Space price tag for the overhaul came out to has one-eighth the bounce of the origi- to the fire.” essentially putting the fate of Pier 6 in Foundation. Bridge Park Corporation had initially tapped “genius” bridge creator Ted Zoli $4,045,000 — a bill that includes the nal span, according to project engineers, Last Wednesday, locals and tourists the hands of the two powerful orga- Reached by The Paper, Ren Rich- costs of the Arup and HNTB work . and Rees said he didn’t feel much move- filled the bridge — and for those enjoy- nizations — but the Association pro- mond, the leader of the Green Space and his firm HNTB to execute the big fix. But he was unable to find a solu- Officials say they will recover most ment at all, although he did get a peek ing the Squibb without knowing its sto- tested, demanding others be allowed Foundation, confirmed he will now tion and the park fired him in January of the cash from the lawsuit, which, like into condo owners’ windows. ried history, it was just a place to take in on the action. Still, the groups won’t be able to give advice to the Heights the bridge’s repairs, is dragging on, ac- But as much as he loves being able some photos and enjoy the view. One Association, but Judi Francis, the head 2016, filing a $3 million lawsuit against say who the “others” are. his company alleging the crossing was cording to the green space’s veep. to use it, the fix carried on for far too Italian family gushed about the span as “Yesterday [the respondents] agreed of the Defense Fund, would not say if “We’re confident that we’re going to long, he said, and wants to see some- they posed for pictures, sizing it up in she was involved in any talks. “inherently flawed.” At the same time, we could expand the confidentiality win every lawsuit we’re involved in,” one held accountable for the costly and simple terms. Both sides have spent the majority they brought on international engineer- tent to include the two community ing group Arup to find a way to clean said the park’s vice president of real es- time consuming snafu. “It looks wonderful, it’s really cool leaders with whom we have worked See PIER 6 on page 2 up the mess . tate, David Lowin, who is also currently “On the one hand, let’s be grateful and fun,” said Alessio Doglione, who was And it was an expensive mess — involved in a case over the construction the bridge is open,” he said. “But the vacationing with his wife and kids. ON THE RADIO High times Gersh and Vince chat with the weeders of tomorrow By Moses Jefferson for Brooklyn Paper Get high — on money! That’s the message of the new Cannabis Cultural Asso- ciation, which is hosting its in- augural “Entrepreneur Empow- erment Workshop” this weekend in Crown Heights — and is hop- ing to teach would-be “blunt- repreneurs” how to get in on Brittany Williams and Nicole Beres enjoy lunch with a furry the ground floor of what they Photos by Stefano Giovannini friend at Etsy in Dumbo. claim could become a $2-tril- lion business. LEAVES OF “We will show people how to get into the industry, right GRASS now, even though it remains il- In new offi ces, Etsy-does it! legal in New York State,” said everything about it.” Jake Plowden, co-founder of the Saturday’s all-day workshop group. “Right now, those busi- at the Electropositive Center in It’s all part of a plan to keep have achieved. nesses are ancillary to actually We get a glimpse of new Dumbo showcase workers happy while making the Its 648 employees moved in last Crown Heights will include such growing the plant. But you need sessions as “Building Your Can- world a better place — a win-win- summer and enjoy perks includ- to get yourself into position be- nabis Business — Legal and Ac- By Lauren Gill win for the company, its work- ing catered meals by local busi- cause New York will legalize at counting,” and “Promoting Your Brooklyn Paper ers, and the Earth, according to a nesses such as Vinegar Hill House some point.” It’s a “kushy” place to work! spokeswoman for the institute. twice a week, a recreation area Plowden said he created the as- Cannabis Business,” plus break- The dot-com office space in “If your employees are happy complete with a ping-pong table sociation last year because “there out sessions with existing busi- a building purchased by Pres- and inspired by the art and green- and baby grand piano, and roof are not a lot of people of color ness owners and, of course, a ident Trump’s son-in-law and ery around them they’re more and terraces with views of lower in the pot industry.” networking party that Plowden right-hand-man Jared Kushner likely be engaged in their work, Manhattan. “There are not a lot of peo- promised would not include is the largest “Earth-and-em- more productive, more loyal to the The office also boasts a bike ple of color on Wall Street or in any consumption of cannabis ployee-friendly” workspace in company,” said Ariana Anthony. room that can fit 100 two-wheel- most newsrooms, either,” Brook- — though he could not swear the world, an international tree- “So what’s good for them is also ers with a button that cyclists hit lyn Paper Radio co-host Gersh that no marijuana would be con- hugging group proclaimed this good for our business.” to log how many employees have Kuntzman, a Daily News col- sumed nearby. month. “Petal” certification demands pushed the pedals each day. umnist, pointed out. “Bottom line: This isn’t about The Etsy headquarters inside the workspace be near public trans- And those with pets can bring But Plowden added white getting high — it’s about getting the nine-story Dumbo Heights portation; is built with eco-friendly their dogs to work after they com- domination of the legal pot rich,” Kuntzman said.